Shower Power Tips

There are few things better after a long day at work or at home with the kids than a relaxing shower. However, you can kiss the relaxation factor goodbye if your shower isn’t clean. Hard water stains and soap reside can sap the enjoyment right out of showering and send you searching for the scum remover. That means rather than unwinding, you find yourself swept up in a frenzy of unplanned cleaning. You don’t want that to happen, right?

Well, if you keep your shower clean you won’t have to worry about cleaning hard water stains when you’re looking to wash off a long day. Take a look at the following tips to learn some tricks for kicking stains and scum to the curb.

CLEANING HARD WATER STAINS

The best means of cleaning hard water stains has plagued society since the introduction of the glass shower door. These spots form when the minerals from hard water build up on your shower doors and walls, leaving an unsightly opaque film. While cleaning hard water stains is one of the more trying tasks you’ll find while scrubbing your shower, it’s not impossible.

First, a big “don’t”: Never use brushes, heavy duty cleaning tools or caustic scouring powders on shower doors. They can leave permanent scratches.

Next, you’ll need to invest in a good water spot remover. There are numerous brands on the market, of course. But if you’re searching for an inexpensive and natural means of cleaning hard water stains, look no further than your kitchen cabinet. That’s right; distilled white vingear can double as an excellent water spot remover. Just be careful if you have a stone shower. Vinegar and stone should never meet.

You can make a hard water stain cleaner from a solution of ¼ cup vinegar and ¾ cup water. To do this, simply mix the liquids in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 60 seconds. Pour your mixture into a spray bottle and mist the shower door and walls. Let that sit for about 3 minutes, then wipe your homemade water spot remover away with a microfiber cloth. Tougher stains will require some scrubbing, so make sure you’ve got some elbow grease on reserve.

You can use the same vinegar to clean the tracks of your doors, too. Pour vinegar in the tracks and let it sit for a few minutes. When it comes to cleaning hard water stains out of tracks, you’ll want to break out a scrub brush. Just be careful not to come into contact with the glass. After scrubbing, wipe the vinegar and mineral residue away with paper towels.

Vinegar has one final use here: You can soak your shower head in the liquid to remove mineral build-up that’s accumulated over time.

In between applications of your water spot remover, use a microfiber cloth or squeegee to wipe down shower walls and doors after bathing.

BATTLING SOAP SCUM

Soap keeps your body clean, but it wreaks havoc on shower walls and floors. In addition to lacking aesthetic appeal, the slimy gunk can be dangerous if enough builds up on the shower floor. A good soap scum remover can spare you the mess, as well as potential slips.

You won’t have any problems finding a soap scum remover online or in the grocery store. However, a certain DIY recipe that combines dish soap with vinegar and cornstarch has been growing in popularity due to it’s effectiveness.

After you’ve whipped up your non-toxic soap scum remover, apply it using a spray bottle. Let the solution sit for at least 10 minutes. Afterwards, rinse the soap scum remover from the walls. This make take several tries as the dish soap in the cleaner will bubble as you spray it. And you want to rinse thoroughly so you don’t slip and slide on your concoction. For scummier walls, you may need to repeat the process a few times.

If there’s leftover residue, you should be able to wipe it away fairly easily using a sponge or paper towels. Bonus: This soap scum remover also works wonders on mildew.

CALL IN THE CLEANING CALVARY

If your shower is in dire need of some attention, and your busy schedule prevents you from doing an initial deep clean, bring in a cleaning service. A professional maid service can provide a thorough scrub—including cleaning hard water stains and getting rid of soap scum—so that afterwards, you only have to maintain the area.

Oddly enough, the place where we clean ourselves can become one of the dirtiest areas in the house. But with a little elbow grease and these top-notch cleaning tips, you’ll be able to unwind in a clean shower once more.

Does your spotless shower have you motivated to spruce up the rest of the house? We’ve got the cleaning tips you need to make your home feel homier.